Ever wished you could dim a light from far away or change a fan's speed from the couch? You can do it with Instructable user gabriellalevine's guide to making a remote controlled dimmer that works on any AC powered appliance.

To make this for yourself you'll need an Arduino, a Sony universal remote, and a few other cheap parts. Despite the fact you'll be working with an electrical circuit it's surprisingly easy to make for yourself and the result is the ability to directly control the power consumption on almost anything you plug into it. This includes household items ranging from lamps to portable heaters and fans. Head over to Instructables for a full walkthrough, Arduino code, and everything else you'll need to make this for yourself.